When Graham Downes lost the tenant of his East Village office building last year, the architect and developer knew he would have a hard time finding a replacement.

With vacancy rates on the rise amid a deepening recession, Downes decided to look for a new type of occupant. Instead of searching for a single business to take over the 5,800-square-foot industrial loft at 11th Avenue and F Street, Downes decided to divide it into small workstations that would rent for between $300 and $350 per month.

Downes thought the former union hall would make a perfect haven for small entrepreneurs who normally are priced out of the downtown office market and are forced to work from home or in coffee shops. Downes envisioned a shared workplace that would draw in young professionals who would feed off one another's creative energy.

“I wanted them to be in the new, social-technology-digital world, an interactive and independent commune of people who had similar aspirations, who understand the need for community but don't necessarily fit into the corporate structure,” Downes said.

The airy building, which was built in the 1930s, has a mezzanine that serves as a secondary work space. Rechristened HiveHaus, it opened for occupancy in March. The name was chosen to evoke the image of a place “that swarms with activity,” said Downes' business partner, Jason Harper.

A sign on the wall near the entrance says, “Co-working space for independent urban creatives.”

So far, there are 20 tenants, but Downes and Harper say they can accommodate up to 70. They need to hit 30 to reach the break-even point. If the concept succeeds, they plan to take it to other cities. If it fails, they'll chalk it up as an experiment.

They are especially good at creating social and professional networks, Downes said. That skill enables them to take on large jobs and contract out pieces of the work to others. There already have been partnerships formed among those who share the loft.

“I don't relate to them, but I get a huge kick out of them,” said Downes, 52. “They have taught me how to be more agile.”

There is a Peter Pan quality to the building known to occupants as The Hive. Along with the laptop computers and other high-tech equipment on the mezzanine, you might spot a skateboard or a guitar leaning against a wall.

Tenant Ashley Currin, 28, sees the office as a shelter for talented professionals who haven't lost touch with their inner child.

“Everyone here wants to grow up, but they don't want to be like their parents,” she said.

One thing the tenants have in common is that no one is a nine-to-fiver. Some are too unconventional to hold down traditional corporate jobs, Downes said. They often work until the small hours of the morning to meet a deadline, then come in late the next day.